Card game

ABSTRACT

This present invention comprises a two handed game in which comparison is made between the two hands of a player and a banker. Both hands of the player must have a point total greater than the corresponding two hands of the banker in order to win. Each hand of the player and the banker contain only two cards. The ranking of card pairs is changed over previous two handed games.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to card games in which each player maintains two hands and plays against a “house” or “banker”.

The prior art contains several methods of playing games of chance against a “banker”, wherein the players and the banker hold separate hands for the purpose of point or value comparison. The following are examples of those prior art games.

In general, it is well known to use high and low two domino hands in the game of Pai Gow, where a well known set of dominoes is used instead of a 52 card deck (U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,855 “Four tiles are dealt to players and a banker who arrange the tiles into a two-tile high hand and a two-tile low hand.”). However, the 52 card deck as been adapted for use in Pai Gow to create two hands of two cards, as disclosed above in the conceived game (U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,268 “The game uses a standard 52 card deck, and is played by a minimum of an action player, a banker and a dealer. The dealer, deals the playing pieces, but does not act as the banker. The action player and banker place their wagers before the cards are dealt. The dealer deals 4 cards, each to the player and to the banker. The player, but not the banker, looks at his cards and arranges them in a front hand and a back hand and in any order desired. The front hand is to be played first. The banker's cards are turned over and placed in respective front and back hands. The two front hands are compared to show a win, lose or draw, using the rules of the game of Blackjack. If the action player wins, the banker satisfies the extent of the action player's wager, and that round of play terminates, and the remaining players lose their right to play in that round. Otherwise, play proceeds to the next player. If the action player loses, the amount of his wager is given to the banker. In case of a tie, the two back hands are compared to determine a winner and a loser, using the rules of the game of Poker. If there still exists a tie, the outcome is determined by pre-established rules.”)

Pai Gow's winner, as in the above conceived game, requires that both hands win or no one wins.

Pai Gow rules, as do those of the conceived game and the well known “blackjack” game, disclose that the value of a two card or domino hand depends on face card value and in some cases than the arithmetic sum of the numbers on the cards or dominoes. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,061 states “In one specific embodiment, Aces are assigned the numerical value of one; Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, Sevens, Eights, Nines and Tens are assigned numerical values equal to their nominal values; Jacks, Queens and Kings are assigned the numerical values of eleven, twelve, and thirteen, respectively, and the Joker is assigned the numerical value of fourteen. In an alternative embodiment, the Joker is assigned the numerical value of fifteen.”

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,241, the following is disclosed “FIG. 2 is a representation of two-card hands of dominoes according the present invention. The two-card hands shown are shown in ranking of superiority in sequentially descending order from the upper left corner and proceeding from left to right through each of the rows to the lowest ranking pair at the lower left corner of the Figure. The total point value of the two-card hands are as follows, starting with the last pair in the top row and proceeding from left to right through each of the rows to the lowest ranking pair at the lower left corner of the Figure: nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero.”

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This present invention comprises a two handed game in which comparison is made between the two hands of a player and a banker. Both hands of the player must have a point total and ranking greater than the corresponding two hands of the banker in order to win. Each of the two hands of the player and the banker, a high hand and a low hand, contain only two cards.

As practiced, the game of the present invention is preferably played as follows. The card deck consists of 52 standard cards with number values of from 2 to 10 and having face cards of jacks, queens, kings and aces in four suits of diamonds, hearts, spades and clubs. However, the objects of the invention may be obtained via equivalent representations of such physical items as represented in video, digital or electronic form through computer software gaming programs. Playing cards will be used herein to describe the action of the players using such gaming pieces or representations.

It is critical that card games be complex enough to provide development of skill in its play but with sufficiently simple rules so that it can be played with minimal learning. The present invention provides both of these objects.

The two card hands are first ranked by value in pairs and then the rest of all possible hands have a descending point value which controls their value relative to other such hands. In other words, the most valuable hands are pairs of face or number cards. The less valuable hands are combinations thereof.

The present invention, while distributing to a player only four cards, provides the player with a wide range of strategy considerations. A player initially receiving their four cards must balance the opportunity to obtain a more valuable pair hand with the ability to improve a mixed two card hand. A player with a potentially high value and low value hand as compared with two medium value hands can choose the former arrangement with the intent of obtaining a “push” in which neither player wins. This may occur because the player's high value hand could exceed the value of the high hand of the other player while losing the lower value hand.

Generally, card hands in pairs have sequentially less value ranking from first to thirteenth for pairs of aces, kings, queens, jacks, and 10's to 2's. Thereafter, fourteenth and lower ranked pairs are determined by point value. In other words, a pair of 2's is less valuable than a pair of 3's, while a pair of aces is the most valuable pair in the game.

Point values of the pairs of cards with fourteenth ranking and lower generally are as follows. The highest point value of any two cards (not a pair) is nine points and the lowest is zero points. Kings, queens, jacks and 10's, when not in pairs, have a zero value. Aces, when not in pairs, have a point value of one. Number cards (from 2 to 9), when not in pairs, have a point value equal to their face value. Where the sum of point values of a pair of cards exceeds ten (in the case of 5 and 6 or an ace and 9), the tens column number is truncated and the unit column number represents the point value of the hand. The following are examples of point values of the hands:

5 and 6=point value of 1

Ace and 9=point value of 0

King and jack=point value of 0

6 and 2=point value of 8

These rules have been found to be quickly comprehended by new learners of the invention game.

A banker or house hand has the following advantages over the other players:

-   -   (a) Where the hand point value is zero, the banker wins; and     -   (b) Where the banker and another player have a two card hand         with the same cards, the banker wins.

Where the banker and another player have a two card hand with the same point value (with a ranking of fourteenth or lower), the presence of the highest valued card for tie resolution will cause one hand to win over another. The highest valued card for tie resolution is the following sequence, with increasing sequential value: 2 to 10, jack, queen, king, and ace. For example, a player has a two card hand with a 3 and 6, which represents a point value of nine. Another player has a two card hand with a 2 and 7, which also represents a point value of 9. The second hand contains a 7, which is higher in the tie resolution hierarchy than the highest ranked card of the first hand, a 6.

The game is won by referring to the overall ranking value of the cards in each two-card hand and having a higher overall ranking value with respect to a compared hand as explained below.

Initially, a banker or house deals eight sets of four cards, regardless of the number of players, from a freshly shuffled deck. All players receive a set of four cards. After all the players have received and arranged their four cards into two sets of two cards, their hands are “set”, whereby no further re-arrangement or movement may be made of cards between the two hands. After the setting of the player's hands, a banker's hand is exposed (“opened”), set, and compared against each player's hand individually, as in Pai Gow (Chinese Dominoes). The high hand of a player must be higher in overall ranking value than the high hand of the banker in order to win. In addition, the low hand of a player must be higher in overall ranking value than the low hand of the banker in order to win.

There are other embodiments of the invention game that change the above rules without departing from the invention. In a three hand game, each player receives a set of six cards from which they must form three 2-card hands, a low, a middle and a high hand. The rankings and point values of the 2-card hands are as indicated above. In one form of this embodiment, a player must have a superior ranking/point value of each of three hands to win over another player. In yet another form of this embodiment, a player having two winning 2-card hands would win the round even if one of the three 2-card hands had an equal ranking or point value as compared to another player. In yet another form of this embodiment, players would be allowed to re-set the cards in their three 2-card hands after one or more rounds of betting, i.e., the players may discern a strength or weakness in other player's cards from the betting.

In form of the invention using just high and low hands, players would be allowed to re-set the cards in their two 2-card hands after one or more rounds of betting, i.e., the players may discern a strength or weakness in other player's cards from the betting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The method of play of the present invention is now described in detail. Initially, a number of players, either physical or electronically or digitally simulated, gather around a “table”. Cards are dealt to each of a “banker” and at least one other player.

Cards may not be shown nor their point value or ranking in any way communicated to other players from the time the cards are dealt to the point at which the game is complete.

Each player receives four cards. A house dealer is preferably available to shuffle the cards and deal them. Each player must then form from the four cards a high hand and a low hand. Each player, including the banker, must place a bet before or after cards are dealt and the cards are arranged in two sets of two card hands.

Any players who are touching or moving of their cards after the banker retrieves his four cards for arrangement into high and low hands automatically forfeits their bet.

A player may only win if the high and low hands beat the corresponding high and low hands of the banker according the overall ranking value described above. A lower ranking or total point value than that of the banker is a losing position. A duplicate ranking of high and low hands of a player with the banker results in a win for the banker.

The following Table 1 shows the ranking of pairs of cards into two card hands: TABLE 1 Pairs Ranking Rank Card Pairs 1 Aces 2 Kings 3 Queens 4 Jacks 5 10's  6 9's 7 8's 8 7's 9 6's 10 5's 11 4's 12 3's 13 2's

The following Table 2 shows the point value of two card hands that are not pairs. The first row and column designate cards 2 to 10 and jack, queen, king and ace. The intersections of rows and columns shows the point value of the two card hand represented by that intersection. A top row “Jack” represents a column of point values of two card hands containing a jack. Where a jack is part of a two card hand with a first column “6”, the intersection of the column “Jack” and the row “6” indicate that the point value of a two card hand containing a jack and a 6 equals six points. Table 2 can be interpreted with these instructions for all other point values of all non-pair two card hands. TABLE 2 Point Values 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jack Queen King Ace  2 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 2 2 2 3  3 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 3 3 3 4  4 9 0 1 2 3 4 4 4 4 5  5 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 6  6 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 7  7 5 6 7 7 7 7 8  8 7 8 8 8 8 9  9 9 9 9 9 0 10 0 0 0 1 Jack 0 0 1 Queen 0 1 King 1 Ace

Optionally, an action-starting location is determined by a roll of three dice. A dealer or banker starts the game by rolling three dice before any sets of four cards are distributed. The number value of the total shown on the upward faces of the three dice indicates which player will receive the first of the sets of four cards according to the following rules. The dealer wins this procedure if the dice equal 9 or 17. A first player to the dealer's left wins if the dice equal 10 or 18. A second player to the dealer's left wins if the dice equal 3 or 11. A third player to the dealer's left wins if the dice equal 4 or 12, and so on for additional fourth to seventh players to the left of the dealer. It is the player in the winning location who receives the first set of four cards with which to form high and low hands. Distribution of the rest of the sets of four cards proceeds in a clockwise direction with respect to the dealer, i.e., to the dealer's left.

The above methods of play will sometimes present the gaming professional with considerable and wide ranges from which to choose appropriate modifications for the above examples. However, the objects of the present invention will still be obtained by the skilled person applying such options in an appropriate manner. 

1. A game of chance comprising the steps: (a) two or more players participate, wherein one player is also a banker; (b) a standard 52 card deck consisting of four of each of 2's through 10's, jacks, queens, kings and aces is shuffled and eight sets of four cards are dealt, where the banker and each other player receives one of the sets of four cards in a manner that keeps the identity of a player's set of cards secret from the others; (c) each player arranges their four card set into two hands of two cards, forming a high value hand and a lower value hand, according to the player's choice under the following ranking and point value: (1) a first through thirteenth rank of two card hands respectively consist of pairs of Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, 10's, 9's, 8's, 7's, 6's, 5's, 4's, 3's, and 2's; and (2) all other two card hands are of lower ranking than in (c)(1) and have a comparative rank among themselves according to their point value as in a table below showing point values of those lower ranked two card hands, whereby a top row of the table is a first card for a two card hand and a left column is a second card of the two card, where the intersection of the other rows and columns represents the point value of such a two card hand as follows: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jack Queen King Ace  2 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 2 2 2 3  3 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 3 3 3 4  4 9 0 1 2 3 4 4 4 4 5  5 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 6  6 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 7  7 5 6 7 7 7 7 8  8 7 8 8 8 8 9  9 9 9 9 9 0 10 0 0 0 1 Jack 0 0 1 Queen 0 1 King 1 Ace

 and (d) a winner as between the banker and any other player is made by a determination that both the high and low hands of one player are, first, higher in rank or second, higher in point value, than both the high and low hands of the other player.
 2. The game of chance of claim 1 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have a point value of zero.
 3. The game of chance of claim 1 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have the same cards.
 4. The game of chance of claim 3 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have a point value of zero.
 5. The game of chance of claim 1 wherein, if competing high value hands or lower value hands each have an equal point value, a tie resolution determines the winning hand by the presence in said hands of the highest valued card in the following sequence, where the first card in the following sequence is of lowest value: 2 to 10, sequentially, jack, queen, king and ace.
 6. The game of chance of claim 5 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have a point value of zero.
 7. The game of chance of claim 6 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have the same cards.
 8. A card game comprising: (a) a plurality of players, wherein one player is also a banker; (b) a standard 52 card deck consisting of four of each of 2's through 10's, jacks, queens, kings and aces is shuffled and eight sets of four cards are dealt, where the banker and each other player receives one of the sets of four cards in a manner that keeps the identity of a player's set of cards secret from the others; (c) each player arranges their four card set into two hands of two cards and places a bet, forming a high value hand and a lower value hand, according to the player's choice under the following ranking and point value: (1) a first through thirteenth rank of two card hands respectively consist of pairs of Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, 10's, 9's, 8's, 7's, 6's, 5's, 4's, 3's, and 2's; and (2) a highest point value of any two cards which are not a pair is nine points and the lowest is zero points, whereby kings, queens, jacks and 10's have a zero point value; aces have a point value of one; number cards from 2 to 9 have a point value equal to their face value; and, when the sum of point values of a pair of cards exceeds ten, the tens column number is truncated and the unit column number represents the point value of the hand. (d) a winner as between the banker and any other player is made by a determination that both the high and low hands of one player are, first, higher in rank or second, higher in point value, than both the high and low hands of the other player.
 9. The game of chance of claim 8 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have a point value of zero.
 10. The game of chance of claim 8 wherein the banker has the two card hand of superior rank or point value where competing high value hands or lower value hands each have the same cards. 